What is Flooding?
Floods are considered to be the most prevalent of all weather-related natural disasters. It can occur under various conditions, including heavy and unrelenting rain, ocean waves coming onshore, snow melting too quickly, or even the breaking of dams.
Flooding may occur with only a few inches of increase in the water level or cover a house to its rooftop. It can occur quickly or over a prolonged period, lasting anywhere from a few days to several weeks or longer.
The most dangerous kind of flood is the Flash Flood. It happens with the destructive power of a flood, but with an unpredictable and implausible speed. Flash floods occur when excessive water fills normally dry creeks or river beds and rapidly rises over a short period. It could happen suddenly or without warning.
Where and when do floods occur?
Flooding is a hazard that affects every household and business. It occurs in every territory and happens everywhere that receives rainfall. In the U.S., floods kill more people every year than the hazards caused by hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, or any other natural disaster.
It can cause significant interruptions to power, dislodge chemicals, disrupt water purification and wastewater disposal systems, and lead to the spillover of toxic waste from previously stored sites above ground.
Although most floods do not lead to serious outbreaks of diseases, infectious illnesses, or chemical poisonings, they can still cause infections in those contaminated with floodwater. Additionally, flooded areas may be surrounded by electrical or fire hazards, including downed power cords, which can expose floodwater to further risks.
Floodwater
Floodwater is not just ordinary accumulated rain. Most people are aware of the risks it poses, including damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, and, above all, deterioration of human health.
The water is usually contaminated with sewage and infectious substances, and harmful objects, such as sharp metal debris or broken glass, are often hidden. If a person has been exposed to floodwater, they will likely acquire skin diseases and other related illnesses. Floods have large social consequences for every individual and the community.
Even in the agricultural and industrial aspects, floodwater has massive impacts and threats. These hazardous chemicals or substances contaminated in the floodwater will cause several health effects. Its signs and symptoms are most frequently associated with various diseases.
Your Health Is At Risk!
Low or high floodwaters can devastate your home, family, and health. If you are exposed to floodwater for an extended period, you must be aware that your health is at risk.
It poses various risks, which include contagious diseases, chemical hazards, and injuries. Floodwaters can potentially increase the transmission of the following infectious diseases:
Water-borne Diseases
Flooding caused by hurricanes and normal rainfall can potentially increase the transmission of water-borne diseases through water contaminated with human or animal waste.
Because direct contact with this polluted water is evident during the flood (floodwater), an increased risk of water-borne diseases may arise from wounds or dermatitis to ear, nose, and throat infections. However, these diseases are not epidemic-prone.
Epidemic-prone infections, such as zoonotic bacterial disease and leptospirosis, are transmitted directly from contaminated water. Transmission may also occur when the skin and mucous membranes come into contact with mud contaminated with rodent urine or damp soil.
Flooding and excessive sewage resulting from the increased frequency of extreme weather events aggravate factors that increase the risk of waterborne diseases.
An excess of water can pressure agricultural productivity, causing crop failure, malnutrition, starvation, population displacement, and resource conflicts. Thus, these scenarios impact the prevalence of waterborne diseases.
Here are common waterborne diseases:
Vector-borne Diseases
Vectors are common during floods. They are living organisms that can spread infectious diseases from one human to another or from an animal to a human.
Many of these vectors are parasitic insects that ingest disease-producing bacteria during a blood meal from an infected host (human or animal) and inject it into a new host during their next blood meal. The best-known disease vector is mosquitoes.
Others include bugs, ticks, flies, sandflies, fleas, tritons, bugs, and other freshwater aquatic snails.
These diseases are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions, as well as areas where access to safe drinking water and hygiene systems is limited. Dengue is the world's fastest-growing vector-borne disease, with a 30-fold increase in disease incidence over the last five decades.
The standing water allows mosquitoes to breed uncontrollably. People are more susceptible to health issues when living in congested areas, which increases the number of people who sleep outdoors.
One dilemma with floodwater is that it cannot be dispersed because plastic, garbage, and other debris block drains. As a result, the water stagnates for longer, which is one main factor in the spread of diseases.
By expanding the number and range of vector habitats, floodwater may indirectly lead to an increase in vector-borne diseases. It is mainly caused by heavy rainfall or an overflow of rivers that may have served as breeding sites for mosquitoes, thereby increasing the susceptibility of the disaster-affected population to infections such as dengue, malaria, and West Nile fever.
Flooding may have initially flushed out mosquito breeding. Still, it comes back when the waters recede, and the interval is typically 6-8 weeks before the onset of a malaria epidemic.
Vectors and hosts involved in the conduction of these infectious diseases are sensitive to climate change and other environmental factors.
It primarily affects vector-borne diseases by influencing one or more of the following: vector and host survival, reproduction, development, activity, distribution, and abundance; replication, maintenance, and transmission; geographic range, vectors, and hosts; human behavior; and disease outbreaks.
Summary and Assessment of Vector-borne Diseases
Foodborne diseases encompass a wide range of illnesses, and public health concerns are on the rise worldwide. This is caused by ingesting foods contaminated with bacteria, other microorganisms, or chemicals.
Malnutrition and hunger are typically the challenges faced by most developing countries. The United States and other developed countries still have significant populations that are greatly affected by inadequate food resources and are undernourished.
Food is considered to be the main source of food-borne illnesses. These usually result from eating spoiled food or food contaminated with microbes, toxic substances, or chemical residue from floods.
Great weather events, such as flooding, scarcity, and wildfires, can contaminate crops and fisheries with chemicals, metals, and toxicants released into the environment.
Although the potential effects of climate change on food-borne diseases, nutrition, and security are largely incidental, they can significantly impact large populations worldwide.
Foodborne Illnesses: What You Need to Know
Food-borne Illness and Disease
Tips to Keep in Mind: Protect Your Home and Family
Before such a threat occurs, it is essential to prepare your home and family for times of difficulty. A strong immune system can help prevent and eliminate diseases. A healthy diet and sufficient sleep are essential.
People should take preventive measures and work together to clean up their areas and dispel any stagnant water in the neighborhood.
Drinking or eating anything contaminated by floodwater can greatly increase the risk of diarrheal disease (such as E. coli or Salmonella infection). It is crucial to monitor the health risks of disasters like flooding. To protect yourself and your family, these are the key points that you should bear in mind:
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Citizens should take preventive medications. Boil water twice before drinking it. Wash all products with boiled water before cooking them. Food and water are equally essential for sustaining a person’s health in terms of preventing infections.
Food must be well-cooked, and leftovers should be covered to prevent spoilage. Food waste must be disposed of appropriately. Food should not be eaten raw. Hands should be washed frequently with antibacterial soap, especially before eating.
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Water is a basic necessity in daily life. When drinking water, ensure it comes from a safe and reliable source. If you doubt its origin, boil the water for at least 10 minutes to ensure its safety.
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Do not walk or swim in floodwaters to avoid diseases like leptospirosis. Dispose of all waste appropriately. You must maintain good personal hygiene and prioritize safety. Refrain from getting close to hanging wires and unsteady structures. If possible, avoid them.
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Do not let children play with toys, items contaminated by floodwater, or items that have not been sanitized or disinfected.
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Take extreme caution with potential chemical and electrical hazards. They have great potential to cause fire and explosions. Floodwaters have the strength to dislodge and move hazardous waste and chemical containers far from their usual storage locations, creating a risk for those who come into contact with them.
Any chemical hazards, like a propane tank, should be handled by the fire department or police.
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Be sure you have your current tetanus shot before working in flooded areas. Wounds that are in contact with a flood should be evaluated for risk.
Maintaining good hygiene during cleanup operations after a major flood is usually difficult. To avoid floodwater diseases, it is essential to wash your hands with soap and clean running water, especially before breaks, during meal breaks, and at the end of the workday.
Specified workers or concerned citizens should take responsibility for any unsafe water in flooded areas unless the local officials or state authorities have declared it safe and secure. If no safe water supply is available for washing, you may use bottled water, water that has been boiled for at least 10 minutes, or chemically disinfected water.
If you suspect your water is contaminated with harmful chemicals, cleanup workers may need to wear special chemical-protective outer clothing, gear, and goggles.
Before entering a contaminated area that has been flooded, wear plastic or rubber gloves, boots, and other protective clothing to prevent contact with floodwater.
Using insect repellents or wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants can decrease the risk of mosquito and other insect bites.
Wash your hands conscientiously with utmost care, using soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected, before preparing or eating food, after using the bathroom, after participating in flood cleanup activities, and after handling objects contaminated by floodwaters. This reduces the risk of infection.
Children should also be prevented from playing in floodwaters or with toys that have been exposed to them. Toys should be disinfected.
Floodwater may contain high levels of untreated sewage or other harmful substances. Primary symptoms resulting from exposure to contaminated floodwater may include intestinal problems, nausea, vomiting, headache, and other flu-like symptoms.
Once a person experiences these symptoms and any other related problems, they should seek immediate medical attention.
Related article for further reading about Floodwaters
What do I do with my home septic system after a flood?
Risk of waterborne illness via drinking water in the United States
Journal of Infectious Disease and Pathology
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